> When we use conjunctions instead of commas, it slows the reading down and bestows each action with a greater significance.
This is probably me being wrong, but I've always read polysyndeton the exact opposite. It goes and goes and gets faster and rushes and flies to the next phrase. To me, the polynsyndeton unites the whole sentence int…
> When we use conjunctions instead of commas, it slows the reading down and bestows each action with a greater significance.
This is probably me being wrong, but I've always read polysyndeton the exact opposite. It goes and goes and gets faster and rushes and flies to the next phrase. To me, the polynsyndeton unites the whole sentence into one big fat action. It doesn't lend weight, it lends immediacy, a sort of simultaneity to whatever actions are all lumped together into one big AND. But that's just my own reading, and frankly its my own eyes glazing over a bunch of otherwise tiny actions.
But that might be my problem with McCarthy: I don't slow down enough. Curious for your thoughts.
I think you’re right - it can be used to speed up action, but it depends on the action. It can give a sense of hurrying from one action to the next, so if those are significant actions, then things are rushing along. But if they’re mundane and minute actions like opening the gate, stepping through the gate, closing the gate, it’s slowing things down and forcing us to concentrate on each particular action. Does that make sense?
> When we use conjunctions instead of commas, it slows the reading down and bestows each action with a greater significance.
This is probably me being wrong, but I've always read polysyndeton the exact opposite. It goes and goes and gets faster and rushes and flies to the next phrase. To me, the polynsyndeton unites the whole sentence into one big fat action. It doesn't lend weight, it lends immediacy, a sort of simultaneity to whatever actions are all lumped together into one big AND. But that's just my own reading, and frankly its my own eyes glazing over a bunch of otherwise tiny actions.
But that might be my problem with McCarthy: I don't slow down enough. Curious for your thoughts.
Anyway, still loving this series. Keep it up.
Thank you, and the difference in how techniques strike us is a good point!
I think you’re right - it can be used to speed up action, but it depends on the action. It can give a sense of hurrying from one action to the next, so if those are significant actions, then things are rushing along. But if they’re mundane and minute actions like opening the gate, stepping through the gate, closing the gate, it’s slowing things down and forcing us to concentrate on each particular action. Does that make sense?